Shoyu Lees

Each time we press our Oat shoyu, we separate the oaty solids from the sweet golden liquid. This salty sour oat cake that remains is often referred to as shoyu lees, a word borrow from the wine industry.

In Japan, breweries all have different ways of dealing with this, some send it off for animal feed. Others dehydrate it into crackers. (for humans).

The fine people at Hodmedod asked if they could have some for their bakery, so we thought we should also give it a go.

Being acidic it can act as a kind of vegan buttermilk.

When baking without yeast, Bicarb needs Cream of tartar to react (Tartaric acid) However this can also be done with buttermilk as the PH is low enough.

Or if you are feeling experimental Oat shoyu lees! It also adds a malty umami-ness. ❤️

The lees will be available on the site from next week. For the gluten free soda bread:

Ingredients

• 400g Gluten free self raising flour (Doves farm)
• 300g Water, room temp
• 100g Oat Shoyu Lees
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 handful of Pumpkin, sunflower and hemp seeds
• 1 Glug of cold pressed rapeseed oil
  

Method

1. Set your oven to 220 degrees C. (For the americans that means really hot 🥵)
2. Line your baking tin with oil and cover the bottom with half of the seeds.
3. Mix your dry ingredients together.
4. Add your water to your lees and combine.
5. Add wet to dry and stir thoroughly till you cant see any flour.
6. Add your batter to the tin and top with the remaining seeds.
7. Bake for 35 minutes.
8. Cool for another 30 minutes before slicing.